Channels

Channels are containers for custom group structures – which is to say that the structure can conform to whichever way a particular channel expects to receive data. Amazon, for instance, expects data to be organized in a number of fixed categories – so for an Amazon channel you want to create a group structure which conforms to that demand.

To create a channel:

  • Go to Settings > PIM > Channels
  • Click New channel to open the channel
  • Name it
  • Save – the settings not related to Channels will disappear, this is normal and nothing to worry about

When a channel has been created it appears in the PIM tree, and acts as a container for channel groups. An Ecommerce shop is also regarded as a channel, and will appear under PIM > Channels with the full group structure from Ecommerce.

To create channel groups directly right-click a channel and click New Group (Figure 1.1)

Figure 1.1 Channel groups

Once a channel has been created, you can use the Publish to channels button in all PIM views to push product data to one or more channels (including Dynamicweb Ecommerce, which is a native channel).

Please note, that channels are organizational structures only – all product fields are read-only when accessed via a channel, and all product enrichment should be done via the warehouse structures or PIM queries.

Changes made within a channel will affect the product everywhere.

The following can be set on a channel: